Electrical apparatus are often placed in a shielded housing to protect the apparatus from radiation which can cause EMI/RFI in the apparatus and to protect leakage of radiation to the environment from the apparatus. The shielded housing is made from conductive panels which are secured together to form the housing. There are often gaps between even the best fitting panels through which radiation can pass. In order to seal any gaps between the panels, a gasket having an outer conductive layer is secured between the panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,668 discloses a gasket having a compressible foam core which is surrounded by a sheath. The sheath is an electrically conductive fabric which is secured to the foam core. The gasket is placed between the junction of two conductive panels to provide electrical connection therebetween and to seal the junction from radiation leakage.
A typical design for the gasket has a D-shaped or a rectangular shaped cross section with an adhesive strip secured along one of the flat ends. When the gasket is placed between two parallel panels, the adhesive secures the gasket to a first panel and the opposite side of the gasket engages the second panel. However, the adhesive blocks the gasket from forming electrical contact with the first panel. In order to get good electrical conductivity between the gasket and the first panel, the gasket must be compressed so that edges of the gasket are compressed around the adhesive thereby providing electrical contact.
It would be an advantage to provide a gasket wherein a good electrical connection is formed without the need to compress the gasket between the panels.